Resource for Written and Communicative English

English Grammar

A sentence like “John has done the work” can be expressed in this way too — “The work has been done by John”. There is almost no difference in the meanings, but there is difference in emphasis. In the first sentence, emphasis is put upon the doer of the action i.e. “John” (meaning none but John has done the work). In the second sentence, emphasis is put upon “the work” (emphasis is on the completion of the work rather than on the doer of the action). In this sentence we can do away with “John” as such “The work has been done”. So, let me tell you the grammatical terms associated with each type of sentences. The first type of sentence is said to be in the Active Voice and the second type of sentence is said to be in the Passive Voice.

How can we identify a sentence in the Passive Voice easily? Remember this structure — S+am/is/are/was/were/be/been/being+Past Participle

Sentences in the above structure can be identified as in the Passive Voice, otherwise it’s in the Active Voice.

Remember that certain kinds of sentences can’t be changed into the other voice form, particularly sentences having intransitive verbs. “I slept well” or “She is a girl”, ” He was born in London” are such sentences.

Now, lets come to identifying the Subject, Object, Complement in a sentence. To identify these, you have to identify the Verb(s) first. Then ask the following questions using the Wh- words and the Verb(s) :

Who <Verb> ? : Subject

Whom <Verb> ? : Object-1 (Indirect Object)

What <Verb> ? : Object-2 (Direct Object)

How <Verb> ? : Complement

Where <Verb> ? : Complement

When <Verb> ? : Complement

Why <Verb> ? : Complement

Let’s take a sentence for example, “I offered the beggar a blanket sympathetically at my home yesterday because he was shivering in cold.”

Who <offered> ? : I (Sub.)

Whom <offered> ? : the beggar (Obj.-1)

What <offered> ? : a blanket (Obj.-2)

How <offered> ? : sympathetically (Com.)

Where <offered> ? : at my home (Com.)

When <offered> ? : yesterday (Com.)

Why <offered> ? : because he was shivering in cold ( Com.)

Only after identifying the Subject, Verb, Object and Complement can we proceed towards changing of voice. Before that we should keep in mind the following points :

(6) In Passive Voice form, the proposition ‘by’ is generally used before the Subject. Though other propositions like to, at, with are used in case of certain verbs such as ‘know’, ‘satisfy’, ‘please’, ‘vex’, ‘annoy’ etc.

(7) Complements never change their position. It can be anywhere in the semtence. In Passive Voice it should be left in the same position.

An example to understand this better –

Act. :- Mr Peters teaches English well.

Pass. :- English is taught by Mr Peters well.

In the Active Voice sentence, there is no Auxiliary, but the Passive Voice sentence has (‘is’). In the A.V. sentence ‘teaches’ is not a Past Participle form, but in the P.V. sentence ‘taught’ is a Past Participle form. The Subject ‘Mr Peters’ and the Object ‘English’ change positions with each other. The Complement ‘well’ (How <teaches> ?) remains in the same position. That’s all for today. The remaining part of the tutorial will be posted subsequently. Keep visiting and give feedback in the comments box below.

Explanation : (a) If you see a sentence with an “if” in the beginning or middle and a part of that sentence in the Conditional Perfect form, then construct the other part of the sentence in the Past Perfect form, or vice versa.

(b) If you see a sentence with an “if” in the beginning or middle and a part of that sentence in the Conditional Indefinite form, then construct the other part of the sentence in the Simple Past form, or vice versa.

Construction of Past Perfect: S+had+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Construction of Conditional Indefinite : S+should/would/could/might+Present Tense form of Main Verb.

Construction of Conditional Perfect : S+should/would/could/might+have+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Examples :

(1) If I (have) enough money, I would build a castle.

Ans: If I had enough money, I would build a castle.

(2) If you came, we (go) for a long drive.

Ans: If you came, we would go for a long drive.

(3) If I (know) his address, I would have contacted him.

Ans: If I had known his address, I would have contacted him.

(4) I would have helped her if I (be) there.

Ans: I would have helped her if I had been there.

(5) If I (be) a bird, I could fly.

Ans: If I were a bird, I could fly.

(6) If it (rain), I shall not go out.

Ans: If it rains, I shall not go out.

(7) You will fail if you (not study).

Ans: You will fail if you do not study.

(8) If we (drink) impure water, we will fall sick.

Ans: If we drink impure water, we will fall sick.

(9) If you work hard, you (pass) the examination.

Ans: If you work hard, you will pass the examination.

(10) If I (can), I would help you.

Ans: If I could, I would help you.

Formula # 7 : (Future Perfect)…….by(+time)/before(+time).

Explanation : If you see “by” or “before” immediately followed by a time expression, then construct the verb in the Future Perfect form.

Construction of Future Perfect : S+shall/will+have+Past Participle form of Main Verb.

Examples :

(1) I (finish) my homework by 10 p.m.

Ans: I shall have finished my homework by 10 p.m.

(2) They (reach) their destination before evening.

Ans: They will have reached their destination before evening.

(3) My father (arrive) by 4 o’clock.

Ans: My father will have arrived by 4 o’clock.

Formula # 8 : (Present Continuous)*…….now/at this moment.

* :- (Simple Present) in the case of Non-Conclusive Verbs.

Explanation : If you see “now” or “at this moment”, make the verb within brackets in the Present Continuous form. But, if the verb is a Non-Conclusive Verb such as “know”, “feel”, “see”, “hear”, “understand” …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Formula # 1 : (Simple Present)……everyday/daily/regularly/frequently/often/every(+time)/once a week or month or year etc.

Explanation : If you see words like everyday/daily/regularly/frequently/often/every(+time)/once a week or month or year etc. in a sentence for correction of tense, form the verb within brackets in the Simple Present Tense.

Construction of Simple Present Tense : S+Present Tense form of Main Verb (-s or -es is added in 3rd Person Singular Subject). (Negative form : S+do/does+not+Present form of Main Verb)

Explanation : If you see words like last(+time)/yesterday/ago/back/recently etc. in a sentence where words like since,for,till,until etc are absent, then form the verb in brackets in the Simple Past Tense form.

Construction of Simple Past Tense : S+Past form of Main Verb. (Negative form: S+did+not+Present Tense form of Main Verb)

Examples:

(1) I (see) you last week.

Ans: I saw you last week.

(2) She (not go) to school yesterday.

Ans: She did not go to school yesterday.

(3) They (come) here two days back.

Ans: They came here two days back.

Formula # 3 : It is time/…wish/…as if/…as though…….(Simple Past).

Explanation : If you see a sentence starting with “It is time”/”It’s time” or words or phrases like “wish”, “as if”, “as though” in the middle of the sentence, then construct the verb within brackets in the Simple Past Tense. These words or phrases make the sentence conditional. So “I” is followed by “were” instead of “was”.

Example :

(1) It is time we (go) to bed.

Ans: It is time we went to bed.

(2) I wish I (be) a king.

Ans: I wish I were a king.

(3) She talks as if she (be) the Miss World.

Ans: She talks as if she was the Miss World.

(4) He behaved as though he (know) me.

Ans: He behaved as though he knew me.

Formula # 4 : (Simple Future)……..next(+time)/tomorrow/shortly.

Explanation : If you see words like “next” followed by a time phrase, or “tomorrow” or “shortly”, then construct the verb within brackets in the Simple Future Tense form.

Construction of Simple Future Tense : S+shall/will+Present Tense form of Main Verb.

To express universal truth or habitual action. It may also refer to the future in conditional sentences.

(2) Simple Past

To express an action that was over. It may also be used in conditional sentences.

(3) Simple Future

To express a future event in general. It may also be used conditional sentences.

(4) Present Perfect

To express an action that has been just finished.

(5) Past Perfect

To express an action that had got over before another action. It may also be used in conditional sentences.

(6) Future Perfect

To express an action that will be completely finished before another future action or time.

(7) Present Continuous

To express an action that is now going on. It may be used to express an action that will happen in a short period of time (usually within a month)

(8) Past Continuous

To express an action that was happening in the past.

(9) Future Continuous

To express an action that will be going on in the future.

(10) Present Perfect Continuous

To express an action that started in the past and has been continuing upto the present time.

(11) Past Perfect Continuous

To express an action that had been happening before another action in the past.

We see that the Present Tenses do not always refer to the present time. These may express future time too (See Present Continuous or Simple Present Tense) or conditional statements (referring to an action that did not happen at all, but was possible of happening). Likewise, the Past Tenses may express conditional statements. So, Tenses are not a single time-marker.

You must be wondering what conditional statements are. Here’s how you can identify these: (i) Starts with “It is time”, (ii) There may an “If” in the beginning or in the middle, (iii) There may “as if” or “as though”, (iv) There may be words like “would”, “should”, “could”, “might”. E.g. – If he comes I shall not go. She behaves as if she knew everything. It is time we went to bed. We would have gone out if they had come.

Let us engage in a language game. Here are a few sentences. Try to identify the Tenses from the italicized parts : (answers are at the bottom of this post)

Tense is the expression of time through language. In English, tenses are determined by the forms of verbs and their arrangement in a sentence.

There are 11 Tense forms in the English language. These are

(1) Simple Present

(2) Simple Past

(3) Simple Future

(4) Present Perfect

(5) Past Perfect

(6) Future Perfect

(7) Present Continuous

(8) Past Continuous

(9) Future Continuous

(10) Present Perfect Continuous

(11) Past Perfect Continuous

(However, note that sentences in Future Perfect Continuous are not used in English. So no need to discuss this.)

Tenses

Auxiliary Verb(s) used

Form of Main Verb

(1) Simple Present

No Aux. (do/does in Negative)

Present Tense form

(2) Simple Past

No Aux (did in Negative)

Past Tense form

(3) Simple Future

shall/will

Present Tense form

(4) Present Perfect

have/has

Past Participle form

(5) Past Perfect

had

—— do ——

(6) Future Perfect

shall/will have

—— do ——

(7) Present Continuous

am/is/are

“-ing” form

(8) Past Continuous

was/were

—— do ——

(9) Future Continuous

shall/will be

—— do ——

(10) Present Perfect Continuous

have/has been

—— do ——

(11) Past Perfect Continuous

had been

—— do ——

Is the above table too tough to memorize? Not at all. Just remember the following points :

(a) There is shall/will in every Future Tense forms.

(b) An auxiliary is always more in Future Tense forms as compared to Present and Past Tense forms (in the Simple, Perfect, Continuous and Perfect Continuous Tense categories). Future Tenses have an additional shall/will (in Simple Future), a have(in Future Perfect), and a be (in Future Continuous).

(c) All Perfect Tenses must have the “have verbs” (have/has/had) and the Past Participle form.

(d) All Continuous Tenses must have the “be verbs” (be/am/is/are/was/were) and the “-ing” form.

(e) The Perfect Continuous Tenses have the characteristics of both Perfect and Continuous Tenses. In Present Perfect Continuous Tense, there is been(Past Participle of be) which is a characteristic of Perfect Tenses, and -ing which is a characteristic of Continuous Tenses.

After you have memorized the Auxiliaries used in various tenses and the form of the Main Verb, let us move to examples of sentences of each tense.

Example sentences of each tense :

Tenses

Examples of Sentences

(1) Simple Present

I go to school. He goes to school. You do not play cricket.

(2) Simple Past

I wrote a letter. He wrote a letter. You did not come yesterday.

(3) Simple Future

I shallsing on stage. He willcome here. You willstudy tonight.

(4) Present Perfect

I havetaken meal just now. He hasdone his homework. You havepassed the examination.

(5) Past Perfect

I hadreached before they reached. The bell rang after we hadentered our classroom. You hadfinished before it was midnight.

(6) Future Perfect

I shallhavemet him. He will have bought a shirt. You willhavecome by 10 o’clock.

(7) Present Continuous

I amlearning grammar now. He issleeping. You aredancing.

(8) Past Continuous

I wastravelling by bus. He wasreading then. You werestudying at that time.

(9) Future Continuous

I shallbecoming. He will be listening to music. You will be sleeping tonight.

(10) Present Perfect Continuous

I have been staying here since 2008. He has been teaching for an hour. You have been doing the same mistake again and again.

(11) Past Perfect Continuous

I had been sleeping before you came. He had been roaming around before it rained. I watched TV after you had been reading.

N.B. : Observe the italicized verbs and observe the forms in various tenses.

If you have trouble putting am/is/are/was/were/have/has and -s or -es then observe the following table closely :

Pronouns

Am/is/are

Was/were

Have/has

Do/does

I

am

was

have

do

We

are

were

have

do

You

are

were

have

do

He

is

was

has

does

She

is

was

has

does

It

is

was

has

does

They

are

were

have

do

· A boy

is

was

has

does

· Boys

are

were

have

do

If you have no idea about Persons and Numbers in Grammar, then let me tell you, all the nouns and pronouns are said to be in the Third Person except I, We and You. Iis First Person Singular Number, Weis First Person Plural Number and Youis Second Person Singular or Plural Number. Please note, Verbs with Third Person Singular Number Nouns/Pronouns must be tagged with -s or -es (such as — plays, goes, comes etc) . These take the auxiliaries is, wasand has.

Further discussions on Tenses will be made in my next post titled “Learning TENSES the Easiest Way, Day 2″. Kindly have a search in the search box.